Screams In The Night
by Nora-HBS-Girl
Summary: It's brother against brother when Clint's drunken rage leads him into violating his brother's wife. Clint will find that maybe vengeance isn't so sweet after all when his family and Viki turn their backs on him and money can't buy his freedom. Will Nora ever recover from her nightmare? Will she and Bo survive the test to their marriage? As the old clique says...time will tell.
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter One**

The gut wrenching screams had, for the moment, stopped…you never realize how loud silence speaks until you hear it. She was being loaded onto a stretcher as her body both shuddered and convulsed. She was still now…she had struck out against them, her body painfully shaking... until she had worn herself out…in some ways, she had simply stopped fighting. He couldn't help but wonder if that was what she had done during the assault.

He watched them as they strapped her arms down to the side…watched as they shook their heads after carefully examining her…this was bad…he didn't need to be told this was bad…he saw it in the broken way she looked at him…the cuts and bruises that covered her frail body…he wanted to die right along with her…it was as if she was asking him how he could let them do this to her…how could he not…how could he just take her home after he found her covered in blood…cowering behind the bar, where broken glass was scattered everywhere. At first he thought she had been cut…then he looked deeper. She was looking for her clothes when he found her…_Oh dear lord, it was happening again…another wife of his had been raped…he wasn't any better at dealing with the fallout. _

xoxoxo

The next thing he remembered was being in an examining room with her. She had been sedated when she became too fidgety. He didn't understand this. _How could God be so cruel? How could he be holding the hand of his traumatized wife as she received a rape kit?_ He wanted to hold her but she was shivering in fear…he knew she wasn't actually afraid of him…she was afraid to be touched. _How was he supposed to help her now? How could he do anything for her now? _

He waited until she was asleep before he left the room. He was so angry he nearly put his fist through a wall. Then he saw him. His brother was being led away on another stretcher. He had obviously been drinking…that wasn't what bothered him…it was the blood and the disheveled look…he looked at his brother and instantly knew. "_You son of a bitch_," he yelled, as he began to attack him. Natalie and Viki were screaming at him to stop but he could only see the image of his broken wife in the other room….It wasn't until he heard Matthew's voice that he stopped. Clint was led away to be examined and Bo stood face to face with his family for the first time.

"You said he wasn't crazy Natalie…you said he wasn't…"

"Bo…Bo, what is going on," Viki asked, as he could no longer control the tears from falling? A part of him wanted to tell them all to go to hell…they had insisted on making excuses for his bad behavior after all…this is what happened when excuses were made. The part of him that was better because of her love had won out. "Are you sure you want to know…are you?"

They had been about to answer him when Clint's doctor walked out. "Is he still breathing," he asked? "Is that son of a bitch still breathing?"

"I take it there is no love lost between you," he said simply.

"I hate him…I have forgiven him for so much crap over the years…not this…I want you to do a D.N.A. test…I want to know if his blood matches the blood my wife was covered in."

"Uncle Bo, you can't really think," Natalie started to say…

"I do…and you know what, I'm sorry…I'm sorry for the people who love him…but if he did this…if he raped my wife…"

"Rape…oh God, Nora was raped," Viki said in horror?

"Yes…yes she was…and it was…it's worse then anything I have ever seen…this is war Viki…he could have gone after me if he hated me that bad…when he starts going after my family…I'm sorry but he will not get away with this…"

"You don't even know if he's responsible," Natalie said.

"Oh I know…I know because he's the only person in this world that hates me enough to go through her…and when that blood comes back a match….I will kill him…I will make sure he knows exactly what she felt…and I will kill him piece by piece."

"He's your brother," Matthew tried to say.

"After this, I have no brother…I can only pray that you choose the right side…your mother needs you Matthew…don't lay down with the devil."

Matthew stood at the window and watched as his father went to his mother…she was broken…he could see in her eyes that she was broken…if his uncle did this…

"Matthew…Matthew, where are you going," Natalie called after her cousin?

"To speak to your father…I want to know if he's the same monster that raped my mom…I have never seen that look in her eyes before…my father is right…whoever put that look in her eyes needs to die…if Clint did this…if he's responsible… he needs to be man enough to look me in the eyes… and tell me that he was too much of a coward to go after my dad personally…he had to hurt my mom…the one person in this vendetta that is innocent…she did nothing wrong Natalie…all she did was love my father."

Matthew walked away angry and Viki and Natalie held on to each other. _What if Bo was right…what if Clint had flown into a drunken rage and raped Nora…how could either of them look at him again after that?_


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two**

Matthew stood over his still unconscious uncle with a kind of rage he had never felt before. He had always been the kid who idolized him…now he was wondering how he could even stand to be related to a cold blooded rapist.

"I don't even know you anymore…how could you do this to her…how could you use a woman to hurt a man…your own brother of all people…I didn't think you were a coward…it turns out you are much worse then a coward…you are not even a man…you use power to break people…you've broken _her_…I can't even stand to look at you anymore."

He no longer needed the words…he knew from the amount of blood that covered his uncle. He knew exactly what those test results would find. He could feel it in his blood. The man he had once worshipped had turned into a vicious rapist…he had raped his mother.

Xoxoxo

Bo was still sitting at his wife's bedside when the doctor walked in. "Do you have the results," he asked him?

"Why don't we step outside for a moment?"

"I'll be right back sweetie," he said, as he kissed her forehead. "You just rest. You're safe now. I am never letting anyone hurt you ever again. That includes family. You have my word. You're safe."

They stepped out into the hallway and Bo did his best not to lose it completely as he looked at the doctor. "I can tell you love her very much," the doctor said sadly.

"She's my life doctor…I love her more then anything…now please stop stalling…did the blood match?"

"I'm afraid it did…I… I don't know what to say…when you first asked me, I thought you were just blowing steam…I mean what kind of man rapes his brother's wife?"

"Apparently Clint does…thank you for telling me…I need to get back to my wife…"

"I would recommend that you calm down first…I was looking at Nora's test results…she has a long road to recovery…she's going to need you to keep your temper in check."

"Why…what's wrong with my mom," Matthew asked, as he stood next to his father?

"I don't even know where to begin," The doctor stated.

"How about at the beginning," Bo said. "Tell us what her condition is."

"It's critical," the doctor stated. "I would suggest you two sit down so we can discuss all the details."

Bo and Matthew were devastated as they followed the doctor's advice. They weren't prepared for what came next. This was uglier then anything they had ever faced before. Both of them were overcome with pain and rage.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter Three**

"The first thing you need to know is that she has several broken bones. Those will heal eventually but it will take some time. She'll need physical therapy."

"That means she fought off the attack, didn't she," Matthew asked?

"It appears that way. It looks as if she was thrown around like a rag doll. The attack was very brutal according to the physical evidence. I've never seen a rape quite so graphic."

"What does that mean," Bo asked?

"It means that there is evidence of multiple attacks…and he clearly used more then just his lower anatomy to do it. There is evidence of multiple objects being rammed up there. This was about more then just power. It was clearly about revenge. He was getting off on hurting her. He was penetrating her so hard that her walls have begun to tear. We'll need to do surgery to repair them and even then nothing is guaranteed."

"Do what you need to do to save my wife…the most important thing to me is that she lives through this."

"I understand that sir…but things are a bit more complicated now. Nora is in extreme shock. We're not going to be able to operate until her body stops convulsing. Her heart rate…her blood pressure…they're extremely high and we're afraid she's going to have a heart attack…she's showing signs of severe PTSD…and the most important thing right now is getting her to calm down…If her blood pressure gets any higher, she could die."

"Oh God," Bo and Matthew said at the same time. "How can this be happening…how can she be this sick," Matthew stated?

"Because that son of a bitch decided he wanted to hurt me…and what better way to do that then by going after her…I'll tell you one thing…that will be the last thing he ever does….I'll kill him for this….I will kill him."

Matthew watched his father take off in a hurry…he knew he was going to confront Clint…he had never seen his dad this angry before…and as much as he wanted to go to him and help him … right now, his mother needed him more. "Take me to my mom. I'll see if I can get through to her."

Xoxoxo

Clint was still unconscious as Natalie and Viki looked at him. They had been by his bed for the last half hour, trying to figure out how he could have committed such a heinous crime. There had been no answers.

"How could this be the same man mom," Natalie asked? "How can he be the same person who did all those horrible things to Aunt Nora…?"

"I don't know sweetheart…I don't even know him anymore…he's beyond help now…this…this was going too far…you know that don't you?"

"Mom…mom, of course I know that…I wouldn't help him cover up a rape…especially not when Uncle Bo is so devastated…"

"Can you blame him? Your father did this to hurt him…and by doing that he threw his whole life away…he's nothing more than a cold blooded rapist now," she said?

"I know…I know and it's so sad."

"I know baby, I know…this family will never be the same now…never the same."

Natalie rested her head on Viki's shoulder as tears slipped down both their faces. Clint's eyes began to open as he started to come out of his alcohol induced coma.

"Dad…dad is that you," Natalie stated?

He didn't get to answer because the door suddenly flew open and Bo was lunging for his brother's throat. " You son of a bitch…You sick, disgusting pig…it wasn't enough that you had her kidnapped before…now you have to rape her…how many times Clint…how many times did you listen to her screams as you raped her…as you pushed some kind of object into her as you penetrated her so hard you caused internal bleeding? She has to have surgery Clint…do you even care how bad you hurt her…that you made her blood pressure go so high that she could have a heart attack and die?"

"I don't know what the hell you're talking about," Clint said?

"Do you think I'm stupid? You can't feign amnesia…you raped my wife…you almost killed her…now you're going to pay."

Natalie and Viki watched in horror as Bo started to pound his brother with his fists…beating him until the doctors came and pulled him off of him.

"What are you doing…are you crazy…you could kill him?"

"Good…this man doesn't deserve to be breathing after what he did to my wife…you disgusting piece of slime…I hope you burn in hell…this isn't finished."

"Bo, wait," Clint said, as he looked at him.

"I'm not waiting any more for you…I'm through believing there is any good in you when clearly there isn't…as of now, I no longer have a brother…you are dead to me, Clint…you hear that…dead to me…you go anywhere near Nora again, I will make sure that you die a slow and painful death…keep your filthy hands off her…you've hurt her for the last time. This is your one and only warning. Next time I won't be so nice. You are only living right now because of these two. You should thank them. "

After Bo slammed the door shut and stormed out, Clint turned to Natalie and Viki. "Is it true? Did I really do all those things to her? Did I…"

"Rape her," Viki finished? "Yeah Clint, you did. There was a D.N.A. test. Your blood matches. Don't tell me you don't remember?"

"How could he remember anything mom…he was so drunk, he was a raving lunatic…It's just too bad he had to destroy lives because of it...it's too bad he has to fake amnesia to get out of a rape charge...not that it will work. You'll go straight to hell first."

"You're mad at me," he said.

"I'm way passed mad dad…I never thought you would turn out to be as bad as Mitch Lawrence. Are you happy now…you did to Nora what Mitch did to mom…you are one in the same now."


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter Four**

Matthew wasn't prepared for what he would see when he walked into his mother's room. The sight before him was unlike anything he had ever seen before. He swallowed the lump in his throat and sat at her bedside, taking her hand in his.

"I know I haven't been a very good son lately…hell, I've probably been a terrible one. I guess the only excuse I have is that I just assumed you would always be there. You have been the one constant in my life…you fought my battles when I couldn't…you loved me in spite of my screw-up's…you were my biggest champion. Seeing you here like this now has made me aware of some things that I don't quite like about myself…you were the selfless one mom…dad and I were the selfish ones…and you forgave us every time. How do you do that…how do you just ignore all that pain and give us chance after chance…I need you to show me mom…I need you to wake up so you can teach me how to be a better person…I love you…I know I don't tell you that nearly enough but…I need you in my life okay…I need my mommy."

Matthew's tears started the moment Bo walked into the room. He was just as unprepared for the sight before him. "How are we supposed to help her Matthew? She's always been the one holding this family together. I don't know the first thing about being her strength when right now I feel like falling apart right there with her."

"Maybe strength isn't about not falling apart. Maybe it's about being strong enough to pick yourself up after it."

"Maybe you're right. Maybe we'll just have to figure out how to do this together."

"Deal…and dad…dad I'm sorry."

"I know you are…I'm sorry too…we're just going to have to find a way to put this on hold. Right now, your mother is the most important thing. "

He said nothing but Bo knew it was his way of agreeing. They held Nora's hands as they tried to will her out of her nightmares. Things didn't look good for her now. They needed to calm her down.

Xoxoxo

"I can't believe you just said that," Clint said. "I am _nothing_ like that monster."

"Aren't you," Jessica said, as she walked into the hospital? "You know for _once_, I agree with my sister. I kept hoping this whole thing was some horrible dream on my way over here but it's not is it? You are that sick monster who raped Aunt Nora. My God dad…who are you…what have you done with the man I was proud to call my dad? Natalie is right. You are just like Mitch."

"Jessica please…please just listen to me?"

"Listen to what…there is no excuse for what you did…Aunt Nora didn't deserve what you did to her…no woman deserves to be raped…"

"That's not what happened…I didn't…"

"Stop," Natalie interrupted. "Stop saying that she asked for it. I saw the medical reports dad. It was brutal. There is no doubt that what happened to her was rape. You did that to her. Your blood is all over her…and she's hanging by a thread. What are you going to do if she dies…you will be responsible for her death…I…I can't look at you right now…you can't even have the decency to admit what you did…you are a coward dad…you are a disgusting coward."

"Natalie where are you going…you can't just leave like this…"

"I can and I will…believe it or not, there are people who need my support more then you…people you hurt."

"You can't turn your back on me like this," he said.

"We didn't turn our backs dad," Jessica said. "You did that when you attacked a woman we love like a second mom…Uncle Bo is more of a father to us right now…all you can think of is your petty revenge…Natalie is right…what happens if Aunt Nora dies…what then…will you finally think that Uncle Bo has suffered enough?"

Jessica and Natalie stormed out of the room and Viki stared at Clint through vengeful eyes. "You finally did it Clint. You finally went too far. How does it feel knowing that your entire family hates you? Does it make your actions worth it…you're on your own Clint…you raped my best friend…I can't even stand to look at you anymore."

She shut the door in his face and Clint just stared at the door. She was right. He had finally turned everyone against him. He had nearly killed his ex wife (and his brother's current wife) and now he was alone. Maybe revenge hadn't been so sweet after all.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter Fiv****e**

Bo walked over to Nora's bedside and tried to will the tears away as he sat down beside her. Matthew put his hand on his father's shoulder in a gesture of support and Bo forced a half smile as he took her hand in his.

"Oh God she's so cold…why is she so cold Matthew…she's burning up but she's cold."

"I know dad…I know…they're going to fix it…they're going to make mom all better…we just…we need to let her know that she's safe now…you can do this dad…nobody else in the entire world is better at fixing mom then you…"

"How do I fix this Matthew…how can I fix her shattered soul and the broken pieces left in its wake…I love her so much…I'd do anything to take this pain away from her…"

"And she knows that…but you need to remind her…"

He stroked her hair and gently kissed her bruised palm before continuing. "I love you Red…I don't know if you can feel it right now but…Matthew and I are here with you…and we love you so much…you're safe baby…you don't have to keep fighting all alone anymore…we're here to shoulder the load for you…with you…please sweetheart…please calm down so we can help you…we need you so badly."

Jessica, Natalie and Viki walked in just as Bo was coming apart. "How is she," Jessica asked?

"Not good," Matthew answered and they all took turns hugging Bo and Matthew and offering their support. "Is there anything we can do," they all asked, in unison?

"You can pray," Bo said. "If we can't get her to relax, then she could die."

"We'll think of something," Viki said, as Jessica walked over to Nora's bedside. "Aunt Nora, it's me…Its Jessica. I don't know if you can hear me but I'm here…and I love you…you've always been like a second mother to me so if you think I'm going to let you die on us…just please…please wake up…you're safe with us now…"

Natalie joined her sister as she took Nora's other hand and tried to force a smile. "You know, it would be just like you to try and play peacemaker between me and Jess but you really can't do that Aunt Nora," Natalie began. "Uncle Bo is lost without you…we all love you so much…what my father did to you is unspeakable…but you will never have to go through any of this alone…"

"She's right Aunt Nora…for once, Natalie and I are on the same side…for you, we will even be 'sisterly' again. We love you."

"We sure do, "Viki said, as she joined her daughters." You're more then my best friend, you're like a sister to me…you're more of a sister to me then my own. I'm sorry you were hurt so bad…you have no idea just how sorry. I love you sweetheart. Please wake up. You will never have to suffer again because of him…I promise you…if it's the last thing I ever do, I will make sure of it…and so will your husband and your children…it's okay to wake up now…we will all keep you safe."

They all followed Viki's lead and held Nora's hands as they said a prayer for her recovery. And then they waited. They were running out of options now. If Nora's blood pressure didn't slow down soon, she could die.

xoxoxo

Clint tried to call Kevin, Cord and Joey but they too had refused to have anything to do with him after he attacked Nora. They had seen it all on the news and had agreed with everyone else that he was guilty… but unlike Jessica and Natalie they hadn't been hoping there was a mistake because they knew there hadn't been one. One by one, his family either hung up on him or let him have it. It was the first time he hadn't been able to lie himself out of a jam.

He didn't have time to come up with a plan because there were suddenly two armed guards as well as a police officer cornering him in his room. One of them placed the handcuffs on him while the officer read him his rights.

"You're making a big mistake here," he said.

"No Mr. Buchanan," the officer said. "The only mistake that was made was by you when you thought you could brutally rape the commissioner's wife and get away with it. You will be punished to the fullest extent of the law…and you will be begging for the same mercy that you made _her_ beg for…an eye for an eye…it's alive here in this county…let's go."

They roughly led him from the room as reporters took photographs of the arrest. There wasn't a single soul around who would stand up for him now. Not when he had broken a beautiful woman that everyone loved…it would take more then his money to save him from the claws that held him now…they weren't just out for justice…they were out for blood…the blood that only moments earlier, she had been covered in.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter Six**

_"Are you happy now...are you finally happy?"_

_She said it in barely a whisper as her voice cracked and she crawled among the broken glass behind the bar. She was bleeding heavily as she tried to remember where he had ripped her clothes off. "Where's my dress...what the hell did you do with my dress?"_

_"Nora stop...For God's sake, just stop."_

_He tried to help her up but all he got for his efforts was a punch in the face. "Don't touch me...don't you ever touch me again...I swear to God...I swear I will make sure you pay for this."_

_"I'm sorry," he said. "I'm sorry I don't know what..."_

_"You don't KNOW...sure you do Clint...you were enjoying it...you got off on it...and you know why...because all you cared about was hurting your brother...congratulations, you succeeded...you hurt him more then you could ever imagine...and what's worse is that you don't even remember that he's been through this before...or maybe you just don't give a damn..."_

_She was crying as she picked up a piece of broken glass...covered in her blood..."What kind of man uses a broken bottle to rape a woman...or should I say...what kind of animal gets off raping a woman until she bleeds...first with his disgusting...his...oh god I think I'm going to be sick..."_

_Images of Clint ripping her dress as he threw her against the wall ran through her mind...images of him holding her so tight that she couldn't move...muffling her screams with her own panties...plummeting into her roughly as he laughed at her...and then throwing her against the bar as he violated her again with glass and other objects he found behind the bar...one thing had been clear...he had enjoyed the fear in her eyes...he enjoyed the pain he caused her knowing it would hurt his brother...that was all he really cared about._

_She leaned over on the floor and threw up...she felt so dizzy that she collapsed when she tried to stand up...she only remembered part of the attack..._

"What's she thinking about," Bo wondered as he stroked her sweaty hair. She was drenched in the sweat that he imagined came from the fever she ran.

"She's thinking about what Uncle Clint did to her," Matthew said. Neither of them knew anything about how to help her. They loved her more then anything but they were at a loss. A second later, Rachel came running in the room. Matthew almost gasped when he looked at her slightly bulging abdomen.

"You're pregnant," he asked her?

"I am...but that's not important now. What's important is that I'm here now...I'm here and I'm not going anywhere."

She took Nora's hand in hers and kissed her palm. "You hear that Momma...I'm right here...We all love you so much...we need you...no matter what...you can survive...we'll help you...but you have to wake up first...please momma...wake up...your new grand daughter wants to say hi."

Bo and Matthew smiled at Rachel as they all held hands. Maybe this was just what she needed to bring her around.

* * *

Clint spent the whole ride to the police station claiming that there had been a mistake and that he wasn't himself. He was surprised when he was met at the station by John.

"What are you doing here McBain?"

"Didn't they tell you...I'm here to welcome you to hell."

"You can't do this...I want another police officer."

"Sorry sir...detective Mcbain is the only one on duty."

He shoved him into a chair and left the prisoner alone with John... John sat across from him as Clint looked scared for the first time in a long time.

"You've done a lot of terrible things Clint...I have a lot of reasons to hate you...but this...this takes the cake."

"You deserved everything I did to you..."

"This isn't about me Clint...it's not about your daughter either...it's about the fact that you raped an innocent woman..."

"Oh please...the last thing she is, is innocent...this goes to court and they will prove that she's nothing but a slut."

John would have slapped him then but that wouldn't hurt as bad...he gave him a punch down below and he groaned. "Don't you _ever_ speak like that again..."

"Why...you sleeping with her too?"

This time he kicked him as hard as he could..."You keep it up and you'll never walk again..."

He hit him again and said simply..."_That_ was for Nora...believe it or not I don't like it when people hurt my friends..._that._.." (he hit him again. ) "That was for Bo. You might have hurt your brother this time Clint but _believe me,_ what will happen to you now will be so much worse. You hurt two of the best people I know. You will live to regret it. Put this animal away," he said, as a guard came and took him away to start the process of putting him in a cage. John fell into his seat and sighed. He had been a terrible friend and he would do anything to make it up to them...starting now.

"I need you to find out where Marty Saybrooke is right now," he said into the phone. "I don't care what you have to do to find her...her best friend needs her. Thank you."

He hung up the phone in frustration. He hoped that in some way he could make it up to her too. He wanted to be a better man for them all.


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter Seven**

Rachel went down to the chapel to pray. She wasn't really sure what else to do when her mother seemed locked in the same prison she had been in just before she collapsed. Tears slipped from her cheeks and she struggled to find the words to ask for a miracle...that was when Kevin walked in. Rachel's face turned into a crooked smile and she rose...walking swiftly into his arms as she wrapped his arms around her...kissed her temple, as he held her.

"This was supposed to be a happy time...telling mom about her grand daughter...it wasn't supposed to be like this."

"I know baby...I know...and I'm so sorry for what your family is going through...what my dad did...it's horrendous...There isn't even a word for what he's become...I wish there was some way I could make up for that."

"You aren't your father Kevin...and you are doing it...you're here with me...I wouldn't be able to do any of this without you."

'You will never have to...come on, let's light a candle for her...let her know we're praying for her...I think she can hear us."

"I needed to hear that," she said, as she kissed Kevin gently and they joined hands as they lit a candle and prayed for the recovery of Rachel's family.

* * *

Clint was being booked when Joey walked into the interrogation room and stared him down with what the Buchanan's had always deemed the death stare. Clint would have thought he was there to bail him out if it wasn't for that...

"Joey," he whispered. "What are you..."

He had always been told to honor your parents...always believed it was true...until this moment...the moment he hauled off and slugged him. Kelly was standing behind him, her hand on his shoulder. Joey faced his father and said what he couldn't over the phone. "The company is dying because of you...and maybe that's fitting...nobody wants your blood money. I hope you are happy knowing that you destroyed grandpa's legacy for your petty revenge."

"Joey, please just listen to me..."

"I'm done listening to you...as far as I'm concerned my father is dead."

And with that, he turned and walked out the door. Kelly only gave Clint a side ways glace before saying "I hope you burn in hell with the rest of the devil's." He was, in her mind, the devil incarnate for what he had done to his brother's wife...and everyone seemed to share her views. There wasn't a single person who was in his corner...most people were clamoring for the death penalty...it didn't seem likely that even all his money could take that off the table...what he had done to Nora had been a lot more then just rape...people wanted justice for her...and they wanted it now...

* * *

Matthew couldn't bare to watch his mother like that...so weak and frail...struggling between staying in the safe world of unconsciousness and coming back to the world where pain would fill up her existence. He couldn't give her a good reason to want to stick around...how could he...how could he ever give her that when life as she knew it was positively fucked up?

He bolted from the seat at her bedside when he could no longer take the strain...he ended up putting a fist through the wall when the tears he struggled to hold back spilled from his eyes.

"Matthew," a voice called. He would have known that voice anywhere. It was the voice of the person he needed most in this world.

"Destiny," he whispered, as he turned around and saw her sweet smile as she held their son.

"I'm sorry for just dropping by like this...I heard about your mom...I had...I had to come."

"I'm glad you did," he stated. "I need...I need you...believe me, It's hard for me to admit that I need anyone but..."

"I know...you love your mom...It's okay."

She embraced him then, their son between them. And for the first time since it happened, Matthew let go of all of his emotions and cried like a baby in Destiny's arms. She was always the only one he could lose it like that with...she never judged...she only comforted. "It's okay," she soothed, as she held him close. "It will be okay...somehow it will be."

Neither of them truly believed that but for a while, they could hold on to hope...and that was enough.

* * *

Bo sat vigil at Nora's bedside, holding her hand in his as he watched her. Watching her suffer had always been the hardest thing in the world for him to do but for her, he would do anything.

"Please come back to me Red. I can't do this without you. I know that you have every reason in the world to want to check out but...but I really need you to stay with me...stay and fight this...I swear to you on my life...Clint will pay...Clint will suffer greatly for touching you...You're safe with me..."

"She always has been," the voice said, as the door opened.

"Marty," Bo whispered.

"I know I shouldn't be here and you could have me arrested..."

"No...No, you came back to help Nora...as far as I'm concerned, you were never here."

"Thank you Bo," she said, as she gave him a hug. "John called me...I don't know how he found me but he did...he told me what that bastard did to Nora."

"I could skin him alive right now."

"Don't blame yourself Bo. You aren't your brother. Nobody loves that woman like you do."

"What good is that if I can't help her."

"You _are_ helping her...just by being here with her...showing her you care and that you aren't going anywhere. You might not think so but she can feel your strength...you'll need to be stronger then you think you can be in the months ahead...she'll need you more then she has ever needed you...and even if she tries to push you away, you can't let her...she's going to be in a world of pain..."

"I'm not going anywhere Marty...she's my life...and I love her so much...I just need her to wake up."

"We all do...but we can't force her to come out of her safety zone...all we can do is pray."

Marty leaned over and kissed Nora's forehead. "I'm here Nora...I'm here for you always...you don't have to be afraid anymore...we're going to keep you safe...me and your family and friends...we love you...please don't check out."

Bo and Marty joined hands and prayed for her recovery...there was nothing else to do...


End file.
